Honestly these scenes are my favorite to photograph. Abandoned, decrepit structures and objects lost to time while nature grows and flourishes around them. It's almost like it's nature taking back what once belonged to it. And because the lighting is more muted and less in-your-face, you can spend more time actually finding the perfect composition for the story you want to tell. I'm glad you enjoyed experimenting with these scenes, the photos all look amazing!
Sometimes you read a book or watch a video that turns the key in your mind just a little further and unlocks permission to see things in different ways. Sir, you have done this today for me and may I be bold and say, many others as well. I wish you well.
The black and white shots invoke a mood that the weather has given you - I often like the cloudy dull days to nature's "softbox". The lightbulb is my favourite.
'That one day this will all be gone'. Those words resonate in my thoughts, have done for many years. Time moves on, things change, things are gone - sometimes for the better, sometimes for not - things come - sometimes for the better, sometimes for not. That is almost a fear that I live with and reminded of when something I have seen and known for a long time - is, suddenly gone. I love landscape photography, it's in my heart, but I live in a city and it is my home, even though my heart is somewhere else. I remember how the city was when I moved there more than forty years ago and I suppose it found a place in my heart and began living there. A landscape photographer, but the changes to the city I call home have been almost heart-rending - the old character that drew me here, being pulled down and crushed and towed away, and to be replaced by the modern. One day, all cities will look the same and you won't be able to tell one from the other; like a book with many pages, but each page has exactly the same words and you finish the story at the footnote; which says 'please turn to the next page'. I love photographing the landscape, and yes, I do plod along and take my time - I've learned that it so easy to miss something, something small and perhaps almost unimportant. But I've found in the country that nothing is unimportant, so I try and photograph what I see, because one day it will be gone, either by nature, or progress. Life is like that, it moves on, but at times it is hard to see and appreciate some of the directions it has taken, is taking now. I photograph while I can. Thanks for that great video, Alex, it got the old thought buds going; I'll put away my soapbox now. It was the black and white photographs I like the most.
Alex, you have described my perfect shooting conditions and even hit the reasons behind the subjects that I shoot with this video. There is something beautiful about the dreary world when you embrace wabi-sabi. I love being able to find the beauty in what most sane people would see as junk and rubbish. It was also great to see you talking about your own photography again. You just don't do that nearly enough.
My favourite episode of yours, as this is the kind of scene I love to photograph the most. Here in British Columbia we have plenty of grey days to choose from, but not so many 100 year old farms. I like all of your photos from this session, compositions were right on the mark, though I would like some closeups of those bricks. I also love the moss photos, as that is very prevalent here also and I’m always drawn to the colour/texture. You’ve inspired me to bundle up and get out there!
The single light bulb in the field invoked a "why is this here?" question. There was also something soothing regarding the wall photo that had the horseshoe opening (3:20 marker). Hoping to see a few in-the-field photo seasons next year. It is wonderful to hear your perspective while you are actually shooting. Not that this has to be a regular thing because there are several others that do this. Just an every so often would be a nice change of pace. Thank you for sharing.
I often shoot in this type of light and have learned to love and embrace the light. As I watched the video, I saw so many compositions in video that I would love to photograph.
Your videos always intrigue and inspire me to look harder at the world for expressive images. Thanks for this, and all your videos. As a cinematographer, crafting and controlling light on set is a major part of what I do. Fighting harsh daylight is often a challenge, especially when moving clouds cause shifts in exposure. I usually don't seek out overcast days, but recognize that they can produce consistent exposures, soft shadows, lowered contrast, and yes...certain moods that are hard to create when lighting a large set. So, embrace them when you can! You found so many great shots at this location. I love your framing and compositions. One of my favorites appears at 10:35, but it is just one of many.
Some how you seem to have brightened up the grey days ahead for me. I always dread January and those endless grey skies and they seemed to have arrived with us much earlier this year. I will try to make something of them. I am totally in agreement that it is difficult to make a connection when you are in a group of people. I always choose to wander away from the group to quiet and connect. I do love the interest you find in the mundane - a skip, broken roof tiles. However my favourite image in this set was the tree held in between the shed and a bank of soil piled with discarded wooden planks, an old door pointing towards the skeletal tree. It has great depth. Keep these videos coming. I love the insights you share.
Excellent stuff. I particularly like the full set of images at the end and the no-nonsense "just get out and appreciate the environment" approach. Too often we make excuses for not picking up the camera and exploring the world-near or far-and expressing our vision. Thanks for the inspiration.
This is my go-to channel for photography 🙌🏻 I can get a new gear fix almost anywhere but the content here is what it's really all about. Thank you for doing what you do Alex! 📷
I love these photos ! I know you enjoy photographing architecture in cities, but you do a great job finding the soul of the rural setting as well. Thanks for sharing another aspect of your vision.
The conditions here in this video are EXACTLY what I had today. And so I saw the first 40 seconds, hit pause, went outside and took about 80 shots (20 passable, 8 keepers), and then came back to see the rest of what you had to say. Loved the inspiration!
I love cloudy days for landscape photography. Subtle colors, no harsh shadows, and you have decent light for most of the day without having to get up at Stupid O'clock for sunrise golden hour.
What a great place to have on your doorstep. Great idea to get out there and capture it before it is flattened for a housing estate. There is something very special about an area that is run down and old as they provide so many opportunities for great images as you have demonstrated. Great work and a physical collection of what was in the past and not there in the future. Regards Tony Duke
I love these photos and you’re right about it not being there long. Priceless photos and grey days love grey black and white pictures. Very nice video Alex 👍
GREAT video!!! Your photography is outstanding whether it be the quiet muted country side or the vibrant energetic urban architecture, I absolutely adore how you see and photograph! My favorite photo here is the tree with rubbish in the foreground (10:36) what a beautiful print it would be❤️
Great video! Especially for me, since I live in overcast Seattle. Also, I really liked seeing you out in the field and sharing your thoughts in real time as you moved through the environment. Best wishes!
One of your best videos yet. Great to see you outside, in and interacting with, the environment. The marriage of scene, mood, topic, tone, music and the spoken words was exceptional.
The photos with man made objects spoke to me more than those with only nature…why is that there, who used it, who left it there? Your photos and the mood of them combined with your thoughts and words truly mattered to me today. Thank you.
Love the black & white pictures and started wondering how you achieved the partial sharpness. Looked a bit like a Lensbaby Sweet optic to me but I may be completely off. And yes, bland, grey, early winter light lends itself to moody subjects.
The light coming through the opening of the shearing shed was to die for. I love these sort of days. Its summer here in the southern hemisphere so I have a bit of a wait :-)
Loved the video and perfect timing. Here in the Northeast part of the states, Philadelphia in particular, there's a lot of fog this morning. I took that opportunity to go along the river to do some photography. The fog and greyness gives the photos a whole other vibe and mood. It helps bring out some colors of nature like the yellow and orange colors that may get lost if it were a bright sunny day. Can't wait to go thru my photos from today.
Your black and white shots are sublime. Best photography channel out there - your channel gets to the heart of why we all bother to photograph in the first place. Lovely stuff. Thank you.
This video truly captures the heart and soul of photography. Your images reflect a real connection to place and they convey the mood and tell the story perfectly. I really like the simple effectiveness of the trailer with two different coloured wheels. Thanks for such an inspirational video, Alex.
I liked all your images, they very much conveyed the sense of the place. None more so than the mono ones, with the blurry edges and focused centre, they were excellent my favourites and very moody 👍
Just got back from 2 hours wandering the streets in town in miserable dull and lifeless light. Yet, I got two keepers! It needs a mental readjustment and to see opportunities in such challenging situations.
Another great video, Alex. Making the most of the light, and it’s all about the images! Like nearly all of your inspiring content, not a mention of “gear”. If I ever find myself wondering what camera were you using, the thought is immediately followed by - it absolutely doesn’t matter! Could be an iPhone, could be a Hasselblad, it’s the images that matter and as the viewer I couldn’t tell the difference! At last your teaching has got through…
Hi Alex, I love the photo of the moss covered brick wall, but also loved the rusting saw blade leaning against the old wood support. Hope to see you in January.
I generally love contrasting light. What you’ve said in this video makes perfect sense to me, I was out yesterday and didn’t take many photographs because of the subdued light. I’ll try to take a different approach in the future.
As a photographer you had a great shot when you were leaning against the wall . That window behind you that light going into dark to the back of the shed ....that window used as a mid frame with that weed and blue frame would make a great shot 😮😊😮
I love all of your images; you’ve captured my favorite subject matter. Your video is timely since in New Jersey it’s been overcast and rainy. Thanks for sharing!
It just goes to how that there is more to photography than lighting. Patterns, textures, shapes, lines, colours. I like your shots of the walls and their different elements.
I loved a lot of these. In particular the image of the brick wall from the side angle, and the composition on the b/w scene with tree next to building. I love shooting on gray days.
The shot with the lightbulb is the standout one for me. Love these odd juxtapositions. I suspect many more of your pics would suit b&w (but I would say that anyway). Best vid for a while, Alex. Will watch again.
Hi Alex, I do like overcast days especially shooting Portraits, it gives a natural look on a person's face. Lovely photos, I must admit I don't shoot much in Black and White but I should give it another go. Thanks Alex have a nice day 😊
Cheers Alex, this is Sean in Atlanta! I have followed you for years and never really said hello, or made a comment. But, I have to tell you that this video was awesome, to me! I’ve always wondered where you lived and now I see that you are Lord of the Manor! I love the fact that your house is apparently in the countryside and it looks beautiful to me! I also love the grey skies and I was out this morning photographing a nature preserve near my home. There was a brief moment of no rain, so I took advantage of the saturated colours, still with a hint of late Autumn. Excellent video and I will not be a stranger from now on! Sean
Great show Alex. How fortunate you are to live next to a decaying farmstead. The series you produced was really good, you created a definite sense of place. Living in Wisconsin, I have to deal with mostly overcast skies from November until April. I also have to deal with sometimes brutally cold temperatures. Tomorrows high will only be in the teens with windchills hovering around zero.
The second on your “one day it will all be gone” comment. My dad wasn’t into photography but liked receiving books of old photos of places he grew up in. For some seemingly anxious reason he suddenly asked me to go round his village and take photos of how it was before predicted changes. So he had something less changed to look back on. He died at 91 years in 2021 and I now wonder, sadly, what was the point as he’ll never see them again?
I loved this video and the images were beautiful. I personally liked the color pictures most because there were so many beautiful colors and nuances in the farm. It was as if I could feel the old bricks and moss with my fingertips. I would love to see videos like this in the future.
What a treasure trove. By far my highest interest was in the safe at the 6:50 mark. It will probably require a bunch of expensive renovations and repairs, but those expenses would pale in comparison to the transportation charges to get it to Texas.
Fabulous stuff. I’d say sombre rather than sullen. I like other commenters like derelict places. Getting in tune with the place is right. Working alone allows you to go at your own pace and stop and listen and observe. When with others there seems a pressure to move or chat and that gets in the way. Top stuff
Yes this "twilight" is wrapping almost everything into a harmonious fabric and especially the green tones are vibrant. But the black and white images are astonishing mitigating tensions and "failures" whithout neglecting contrast. Your video do seduce me to go out in such weather....
I spent a couple of, well, several years; OK about 15 years waiting for overcasst days to photograph Architectural ornamentation in Newak, NJ. this is Art Deco heaven. Recently, I have been doing an Infra Red mimic in photoshop to do the same in bright light. I do have to be careful of occluding shadows on detail but the results in B&W prints are fun as hell. Maybe that's too literal
I liked the image with the stack of items (at about 11:15) that looked like maybe old roof parts, or boards with a curved edge element - I can't quite make out exactly what they were, but the point is they were not laying randomly. They had not fallen down or were just tossed, they were stacked with intent and then forgotton for long enough that moss and mildew was growing on the edge. It isn't the quality of the photo itself that is appealing, but the story it tells. One can imagine a person taking these boards one or two at a time and piling them up there for some purpose, only to then leave them behind, perhaps never seeing that purpose come to fruition. So there is a sense of the passage of time, and some aspect of humanity in time spent doing something, only to move on and leave that initial thing behind. Maybe because of changed interests, or other of life's priorities competing for the person's time. This element of story telling is something I am always trying to bring to life in my own potography. It's harder than it looks.
Every kind of light has a purpose. There is a lot of day between just before sunrise and just after sunset. Grey, overcast light is great for a somber mood. The same shots in noontime sunlight on a clear day would look completely different. Every type of light has something that it is good at. Every type of weather too, rain, snow, wind, whatever. They enhance some things and detract from others. So if we engage our mind and connect to the mood of the light and the weather, we can make better images. You called it "in tune with the environment" and I could not agree more. Even the night offers things we cannot find at other times of day. Astrophotography, streaking car headlights, what have you. We can be controlled or we can take control. I feel like it is up to us,
I too enjoy shooting in overcast, gloomy conditions...IMO the best time for moody B&W. My favorites? The B&W images (2:05, 2:38, 7:45 and 9:11) and I especially like how the sides are OOF and how it draws your eyes into the center. I'd be very curious to know what lens you used, or how you processed to achieve this?
I regret not stopping to get industrial or inner city pics because of time constraints. Now these areas are redeveloped with condos and apartments for the next generation. Get all the pictures you can of that farm, one day it will be demolished and you will say "I remember when..."
I absolutely agree. Grey skies can create a sense of unresolved tension that can be very captivating. Musically, The Beatles used to do this with unresolved chord progressions. If you listen to ‘For No One’ off the Revolver album you’ll see what I mean.
The hardest part for me on overcast days is to isolate the subject, in case of shooting something particular, or to create depth, in case of shooting a scene. I suppose both of these kind of point to the same issue. Often feels like if there's no mist, a tree 50 meters away and a tree right in my face would always blend together. Untangling these overlapping elements is my current focus on these days, maintaining consistent spacing between the elements as you would in a 2d scene, focusing on colour contrast instead of tonal contrast as there's none. Difficult and challenging, but I clearly see much more flexibility on these days when compared to the harsh light days.
Thank you for that video. It includes many great photos, but my personal favorites are those at 1:08 and 2:31. The light is never wrong; whatever the light is, there is always some subject that requires just that light. In any case, you need a certain (low or high) amount of contrast in brightness, color, texture, etc. which fits your photographic idea and the photographic eye of the viewers. I hate the philosphy of "chasing the light" or "chasing endangered animals". The most boring and disappointing photobook I ever had was filled with more than two hundred extremely colorful sunrises and sunsets which were all quite similar. For a few seconds, it was sensational, but after browsing two times through that book, it ended in the waste-paper bin. Life is not a sequence of extreme sunrises and sunsets. Seasons greetings from Germany to you and your audience!
The broken stone wall with the fence to the right and the tree behind the open part of the broken wall reminds of many places during world war two that were photographed. 7:42 mark
It’s mainly these white sky days that really puts me off. And the light is definitely flatter obviously. Guess it’s a case of adaptation to whatever. E.g. photo journalists have to shoot whatever the conditions and still get great images. 👍📸
Thank you for your inspiring take on overcast photography. One question, what happens to these stills in particular? Would people buy them and hang them on their walls? Thanks, Bob
Though I lived in (yes, in) such location, i still love similar places. Last year I found fantastic photos in such location and weather. But no, I haven't even touch my camera. There were about 400-500 glass negatives from 1950s regime police, abandoned in two boxes and leather bag. Each negative features one portrait in three perspectives and file number. These were taken using head support, clamping portrayed person by occiput. Most of negatives were injured by moisture. In camera club we saved about 200 of them, separating them, cleaning as tender as possible. Then we made some contact cyanotype and lith prints. Who were these people? Why photos from one part of country got abandoned 100 miles from the city they were taken in? No one can say if these people were regime victims or criminals, files were destroyed in 80s, these negatives are probably the last part of files. Normally visiting this location I wouldn't take anything than photos. This time I also only took photos...
I have a whole abandoned village near me. Some parts date back to Medieval days and it was finally abandoned just over 100 years ago. So do I do and photograph all the dereliction and decay? No but I use it as a backdrop and take a model with me. That's far more exciting.
Which images did you enjoy most?
The one of that mound, with that cloudy sky above. That was haunting.
The one with the end of a wall, with all those textures, moss and stuff. Who could guess that a wall could be so photogenic!
I mean 10:50
the washing machine
The various images of moss growing on the barn windows.
Honestly these scenes are my favorite to photograph. Abandoned, decrepit structures and objects lost to time while nature grows and flourishes around them. It's almost like it's nature taking back what once belonged to it. And because the lighting is more muted and less in-your-face, you can spend more time actually finding the perfect composition for the story you want to tell.
I'm glad you enjoyed experimenting with these scenes, the photos all look amazing!
Sometimes you read a book or watch a video that turns the key in your mind just a little further and unlocks permission to see things in different ways. Sir, you have done this today for me and may I be bold and say, many others as well. I wish you well.
The black & white images are deathly beautiful with a silence that screams. These images are so evocative
The black and white shots invoke a mood that the weather has given you - I often like the cloudy dull days to nature's "softbox". The lightbulb is my favourite.
'That one day this will all be gone'. Those words resonate in my thoughts, have done for many years. Time moves on, things change, things are gone - sometimes for the better, sometimes for not - things come - sometimes for the better, sometimes for not. That is almost a fear that I live with and reminded of when something I have seen and known for a long time - is, suddenly gone. I love landscape photography, it's in my heart, but I live in a city and it is my home, even though my heart is somewhere else. I remember how the city was when I moved there more than forty years ago and I suppose it found a place in my heart and began living there. A landscape photographer, but the changes to the city I call home have been almost heart-rending - the old character that drew me here, being pulled down and crushed and towed away, and to be replaced by the modern. One day, all cities will look the same and you won't be able to tell one from the other; like a book with many pages, but each page has exactly the same words and you finish the story at the footnote; which says 'please turn to the next page'. I love photographing the landscape, and yes, I do plod along and take my time - I've learned that it so easy to miss something, something small and perhaps almost unimportant. But I've found in the country that nothing is unimportant, so I try and photograph what I see, because one day it will be gone, either by nature, or progress. Life is like that, it moves on, but at times it is hard to see and appreciate some of the directions it has taken, is taking now. I photograph while I can. Thanks for that great video, Alex, it got the old thought buds going; I'll put away my soapbox now. It was the black and white photographs I like the most.
Abandoned, derelict buildings are some of my favorite things to photograph.
Alex, you have described my perfect shooting conditions and even hit the reasons behind the subjects that I shoot with this video. There is something beautiful about the dreary world when you embrace wabi-sabi. I love being able to find the beauty in what most sane people would see as junk and rubbish. It was also great to see you talking about your own photography again. You just don't do that nearly enough.
Re the video title, most film photography guys, or at least photographers from the pre-digital camera days, know this and definitely would concur.
My favourite episode of yours, as this is the kind of scene I love to photograph the most. Here in British Columbia we have plenty of grey days to choose from, but not so many 100 year old farms. I like all of your photos from this session, compositions were right on the mark, though I would like some closeups of those bricks. I also love the moss photos, as that is very prevalent here also and I’m always drawn to the colour/texture. You’ve inspired me to bundle up and get out there!
The single light bulb in the field invoked a "why is this here?" question. There was also something soothing regarding the wall photo that had the horseshoe opening (3:20 marker). Hoping to see a few in-the-field photo seasons next year. It is wonderful to hear your perspective while you are actually shooting. Not that this has to be a regular thing because there are several others that do this. Just an every so often would be a nice change of pace. Thank you for sharing.
I often shoot in this type of light and have learned to love and embrace the light. As I watched the video, I saw so many compositions in video that I would love to photograph.
Your videos always intrigue and inspire me to look harder at the world for expressive images. Thanks for this, and all your videos.
As a cinematographer, crafting and controlling light on set is a major part of what I do. Fighting harsh daylight is often a challenge, especially when moving clouds cause shifts in exposure. I usually don't seek out overcast days, but recognize that they can produce consistent exposures, soft shadows, lowered contrast, and yes...certain moods that are hard to create when lighting a large set. So, embrace them when you can!
You found so many great shots at this location. I love your framing and compositions. One of my favorites appears at 10:35, but it is just one of many.
Some how you seem to have brightened up the grey days ahead for me. I always dread January and those endless grey skies and they seemed to have arrived with us much earlier this year. I will try to make something of them. I am totally in agreement that it is difficult to make a connection when you are in a group of people. I always choose to wander away from the group to quiet and connect. I do love the interest you find in the mundane - a skip, broken roof tiles. However my favourite image in this set was the tree held in between the shed and a bank of soil piled with discarded wooden planks, an old door pointing towards the skeletal tree. It has great depth. Keep these videos coming. I love the insights you share.
Excellent stuff. I particularly like the full set of images at the end and the no-nonsense "just get out and appreciate the environment" approach. Too often we make excuses for not picking up the camera and exploring the world-near or far-and expressing our vision. Thanks for the inspiration.
This is my go-to channel for photography 🙌🏻 I can get a new gear fix almost anywhere but the content here is what it's really all about. Thank you for doing what you do Alex! 📷
The lightbulb, the dual cauldrons, the blown out wall framing...all very alluring.
I love these photos ! I know you enjoy photographing architecture in cities, but you do a great job finding the soul of the rural setting as well. Thanks for sharing another aspect of your vision.
The conditions here in this video are EXACTLY what I had today. And so I saw the first 40 seconds, hit pause, went outside and took about 80 shots (20 passable, 8 keepers), and then came back to see the rest of what you had to say. Loved the inspiration!
It is like having a giant softbox. I enjoy finding photos in this type of light. The subjects are what Jay Maisel would call use and abuse subjects.
I love cloudy days for landscape photography. Subtle colors, no harsh shadows, and you have decent light for most of the day without having to get up at Stupid O'clock for sunrise golden hour.
I've always loved lightly overcase gray days, especially for black and white. I like the call it "God's Soft Box." The light can be just gorgeous.
What a great place to have on your doorstep. Great idea to get out there and capture it before it is flattened for a housing estate. There is something very special about an area that is run down and old as they provide so many opportunities for great images as you have demonstrated. Great work and a physical collection of what was in the past and not there in the future. Regards Tony Duke
I love these photos and you’re right about it not being there long. Priceless photos and grey days love grey black and white pictures. Very nice video Alex 👍
GREAT video!!! Your photography is outstanding whether it be the quiet muted country side or the vibrant energetic urban architecture, I absolutely adore how you see and photograph! My favorite photo here is the tree with rubbish in the foreground (10:36) what a beautiful print it would be❤️
Great video! Especially for me, since I live in overcast Seattle. Also, I really liked seeing you out in the field and sharing your thoughts in real time as you moved through the environment. Best wishes!
Recently picked up a 5d2 and am amazed at the colour this camera manages to find even on the greyest of days.
Hilla and Bernd Becher were brilliant at using overcast light
One of your best videos yet.
Great to see you outside, in and interacting with, the environment.
The marriage of scene, mood, topic, tone, music and the spoken words was exceptional.
Lovely walk around a place where I could spend a lot of time.
Great thoughts and pictures. Thank you.
The photos with man made objects spoke to me more than those with only nature…why is that there, who used it, who left it there? Your photos and the mood of them combined with your thoughts and words truly mattered to me today. Thank you.
Love the black & white pictures and started wondering how you achieved the partial sharpness. Looked a bit like a Lensbaby Sweet optic to me but I may be completely off. And yes, bland, grey, early winter light lends itself to moody subjects.
The light coming through the opening of the shearing shed was to die for. I love these sort of days. Its summer here in the southern hemisphere so I have a bit of a wait :-)
Loved the video and perfect timing. Here in the Northeast part of the states, Philadelphia in particular, there's a lot of fog this morning. I took that opportunity to go along the river to do some photography. The fog and greyness gives the photos a whole other vibe and mood. It helps bring out some colors of nature like the yellow and orange colors that may get lost if it were a bright sunny day. Can't wait to go thru my photos from today.
Perfect timing, I'm just of to another towns Xmas market and street shots in this Finnish winter grey. Ta very much.
Your black and white shots are sublime. Best photography channel out there - your channel gets to the heart of why we all bother to photograph in the first place. Lovely stuff. Thank you.
I agree on your title, especially when I had outdoor afternoon wedding shoots. I like your farmhouse photos!
Love your commentary on quietness of the place, you’ve captured this so well. Love the 10:39 image. As always a delight. Thanks for sharing.
I like the concept of "passive light"... Love your photos in this video
Alone on grey days are the best days to photograph. Great episode.
This video truly captures the heart and soul of photography. Your images reflect a real connection to place and they convey the mood and tell the story perfectly. I really like the simple effectiveness of the trailer with two different coloured wheels. Thanks for such an inspirational video, Alex.
Great picture at 2.35. The best weather, time, light for bnw. ThkU... 👍
I liked all your images, they very much conveyed the sense of the place. None more so than the mono ones, with the blurry edges and focused centre, they were excellent my favourites and very moody 👍
Just got back from 2 hours wandering the streets in town in miserable dull and lifeless light. Yet, I got two keepers! It needs a mental readjustment and to see opportunities in such challenging situations.
Your compositions tell a story. Brilliant video!!!
Another great video, Alex. Making the most of the light, and it’s all about the images! Like nearly all of your inspiring content, not a mention of “gear”. If I ever find myself wondering what camera were you using, the thought is immediately followed by - it absolutely doesn’t matter! Could be an iPhone, could be a Hasselblad, it’s the images that matter and as the viewer I couldn’t tell the difference! At last your teaching has got through…
Hi Alex, I love the photo of the moss covered brick wall, but also loved the rusting saw blade leaning against the old wood support. Hope to see you in January.
I like colour photos taken on dull days, there's a subtle punch in such shots
I generally love contrasting light. What you’ve said in this video makes perfect sense to me, I was out yesterday and didn’t take many photographs because of the subdued light. I’ll try to take a different approach in the future.
My favorite conditions to photograph in!
I am very happy you have discovered my photographic world.
I loved this video on location! Beautiful photos also
In one word: excellent. I like the "wall images" at 2:30 and 3:27. Well, I should go out, the weather is quite the same here.
As a photographer you had a great shot when you were leaning against the wall . That window behind you that light going into dark to the back of the shed ....that window used as a mid frame with that weed and blue frame would make a great shot 😮😊😮
I love all of your images; you’ve captured my favorite subject matter. Your video is timely since in New Jersey it’s been overcast and rainy. Thanks for sharing!
It just goes to how that there is more to photography than lighting. Patterns, textures, shapes, lines, colours. I like your shots of the walls and their different elements.
I loved a lot of these. In particular the image of the brick wall from the side angle, and the composition on the b/w scene with tree next to building. I love shooting on gray days.
That's my sort of photography, I love it when nature starts taking back the land.
Great piece.
Nice work, Alex.
2:06, 2:36 and 4:37 are beautiful photos!
The shot with the lightbulb is the standout one for me. Love these odd juxtapositions. I suspect many more of your pics would suit b&w (but I would say that anyway).
Best vid for a while, Alex. Will watch again.
I love this style of photography and especially like the lightbulb
Hi Alex, I do like overcast days especially shooting Portraits, it gives a natural look on a person's face. Lovely photos, I must admit I don't shoot much in Black and White but I should give it another go. Thanks Alex have a nice day 😊
Thanks Alex 😊
Cheers Alex, this is Sean in Atlanta! I have followed you for years and never really said hello, or made a comment. But, I have to tell you that this video was awesome, to me! I’ve always wondered where you lived and now I see that you are Lord of the Manor! I love the fact that your house is apparently in the countryside and it looks beautiful to me!
I also love the grey skies and I was out this morning photographing a nature preserve near my home. There was a brief moment of no rain, so I took advantage of the saturated colours, still with a hint of late Autumn.
Excellent video and I will not be a stranger from now on!
Sean
Love the contemplative images of a gray day
Great video , nice images
You have opened my eyes to several benefits of flat overcast light. Thanks and cheers!
Great show Alex. How fortunate you are to live next to a decaying farmstead. The series you produced was really good, you created a definite sense of place. Living in Wisconsin, I have to deal with mostly overcast skies from November until April. I also have to deal with sometimes brutally cold temperatures. Tomorrows high will only be in the teens with windchills hovering around zero.
The second on your “one day it will all be gone” comment. My dad wasn’t into photography but liked receiving books of old photos of places he grew up in.
For some seemingly anxious reason he suddenly asked me to go round his village and take photos of how it was before predicted changes. So he had something less changed to look back on.
He died at 91 years in 2021 and I now wonder, sadly, what was the point as he’ll never see them again?
I loved this video and the images were beautiful. I personally liked the color pictures most because there were so many beautiful colors and nuances in the farm. It was as if I could feel the old bricks and moss with my fingertips. I would love to see videos like this in the future.
Great images, I wish my neighbor's property looked like this, a treasure trove of possible images. Thanks!
What a treasure trove. By far my highest interest was in the safe at the 6:50 mark. It will probably require a bunch of expensive renovations and repairs, but those expenses would pale in comparison to the transportation charges to get it to Texas.
I loved the black and white.
Love that kind of content, very inspiring to go out myself. Thanks ! 😊
Fabulous stuff. I’d say sombre rather than sullen. I like other commenters like derelict places. Getting in tune with the place is right. Working alone allows you to go at your own pace and stop and listen and observe. When with others there seems a pressure to move or chat and that gets in the way. Top stuff
Yes this "twilight" is wrapping almost everything into a harmonious fabric and especially the green tones are vibrant. But the black and white images are astonishing mitigating tensions and "failures" whithout neglecting contrast. Your video do seduce me to go out in such weather....
Spent some time in mallorca in june with overcast skys caused by the sahara sand, was a fantastic light for photos, bright but flat
I spent a couple of, well, several years; OK about 15 years waiting for overcasst days to photograph Architectural ornamentation in Newak, NJ. this is Art Deco heaven. Recently, I have been doing an Infra Red mimic in photoshop to do the same in bright light. I do have to be careful of occluding shadows on detail but the results in B&W prints are fun as hell. Maybe that's too literal
Inspired, big time.
I liked the image with the stack of items (at about 11:15) that looked like maybe old roof parts, or boards with a curved edge element - I can't quite make out exactly what they were, but the point is they were not laying randomly. They had not fallen down or were just tossed, they were stacked with intent and then forgotton for long enough that moss and mildew was growing on the edge. It isn't the quality of the photo itself that is appealing, but the story it tells. One can imagine a person taking these boards one or two at a time and piling them up there for some purpose, only to then leave them behind, perhaps never seeing that purpose come to fruition. So there is a sense of the passage of time, and some aspect of humanity in time spent doing something, only to move on and leave that initial thing behind. Maybe because of changed interests, or other of life's priorities competing for the person's time.
This element of story telling is something I am always trying to bring to life in my own potography. It's harder than it looks.
Every kind of light has a purpose. There is a lot of day between just before sunrise and just after sunset. Grey, overcast light is great for a somber mood. The same shots in noontime sunlight on a clear day would look completely different. Every type of light has something that it is good at. Every type of weather too, rain, snow, wind, whatever. They enhance some things and detract from others. So if we engage our mind and connect to the mood of the light and the weather, we can make better images. You called it "in tune with the environment" and I could not agree more. Even the night offers things we cannot find at other times of day. Astrophotography, streaking car headlights, what have you. We can be controlled or we can take control. I feel like it is up to us,
Unpretentious, simple but profound photographs, just like the ones I like and take. In a very common words, they take me beyond the visible.
I too enjoy shooting in overcast, gloomy conditions...IMO the best time for moody B&W. My favorites? The B&W images (2:05, 2:38, 7:45 and 9:11) and I especially like how the sides are OOF and how it draws your eyes into the center. I'd be very curious to know what lens you used, or how you processed to achieve this?
Great video 👌
I regret not stopping to get industrial or inner city pics because of time constraints. Now these areas are redeveloped with condos and apartments for the next generation. Get all the pictures you can of that farm, one day it will be demolished and you will say "I remember when..."
always my favorite
U make people to feel craft of photography ❤❤❤
I absolutely agree. Grey skies can create a sense of unresolved tension that can be very captivating. Musically, The Beatles used to do this with unresolved chord progressions. If you listen to ‘For No One’ off the Revolver album you’ll see what I mean.
Overcast days leave little shadows to provide contrast. I like such days because I believe better black and white photographs are produced.
The hardest part for me on overcast days is to isolate the subject, in case of shooting something particular, or to create depth, in case of shooting a scene. I suppose both of these kind of point to the same issue. Often feels like if there's no mist, a tree 50 meters away and a tree right in my face would always blend together. Untangling these overlapping elements is my current focus on these days, maintaining consistent spacing between the elements as you would in a 2d scene, focusing on colour contrast instead of tonal contrast as there's none.
Difficult and challenging, but I clearly see much more flexibility on these days when compared to the harsh light days.
Thank you for that video. It includes many great photos, but my personal favorites are those at 1:08 and 2:31. The light is never wrong; whatever the light is, there is always some subject that requires just that light. In any case, you need a certain (low or high) amount of contrast in brightness, color, texture, etc. which fits your photographic idea and the photographic eye of the viewers. I hate the philosphy of "chasing the light" or "chasing endangered animals". The most boring and disappointing photobook I ever had was filled with more than two hundred extremely colorful sunrises and sunsets which were all quite similar. For a few seconds, it was sensational, but after browsing two times through that book, it ended in the waste-paper bin. Life is not a sequence of extreme sunrises and sunsets. Seasons greetings from Germany to you and your audience!
The broken stone wall with the fence to the right and the tree behind the open part of the broken wall reminds of many places during world war two that were photographed. 7:42 mark
Thanks Alex
It’s mainly these white sky days that really puts me off. And the light is definitely flatter obviously. Guess it’s a case of adaptation to whatever. E.g. photo journalists have to shoot whatever the conditions and still get great images. 👍📸
Thank you for your inspiring take on overcast photography. One question, what happens to these stills in particular? Would people buy them and hang them on their walls? Thanks, Bob
I like the "Alex in the real world" video!
Though I lived in (yes, in) such location, i still love similar places. Last year I found fantastic photos in such location and weather. But no, I haven't even touch my camera. There were about 400-500 glass negatives from 1950s regime police, abandoned in two boxes and leather bag. Each negative features one portrait in three perspectives and file number. These were taken using head support, clamping portrayed person by occiput. Most of negatives were injured by moisture. In camera club we saved about 200 of them, separating them, cleaning as tender as possible. Then we made some contact cyanotype and lith prints. Who were these people? Why photos from one part of country got abandoned 100 miles from the city they were taken in? No one can say if these people were regime victims or criminals, files were destroyed in 80s, these negatives are probably the last part of files.
Normally visiting this location I wouldn't take anything than photos. This time I also only took photos...
I have a whole abandoned village near me. Some parts date back to Medieval days and it was finally abandoned just over 100 years ago.
So do I do and photograph all the dereliction and decay? No but I use it as a backdrop and take a model with me. That's far more exciting.